Federation of Metal Detector and Archaeological Clubs
                                   Inc. (FMDAC)

FMDAC Website

FMDAC Facebook Page


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The Federation of Metal Detector and Archaeological Clubs Inc. (FMDAC) was organized in 1984 as a legislative and educational organization and incorporated, as a non-profit, non-commercial, non-partisan organization.

The FMDAC's Mission: The FMDAC is dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and protection for the hobby of recreational metal detecting and prospecting.

The FMDAC's Purpose:
To unite, promote and encourage the establishment of metal detecting clubs.
To preserve the sport / hobby of recreational metal detecting and prospecting.
To make available to FMDAC clubs and Independent members information pertaining to the hobby and to keep members informed as to active legislation.

The FMDAC's Goal is to Educate and inform the public as to the merits of recreational metal detecting.

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April 17, 2018 Press Release
Hello to all members and non members. Please read the announcement below direct from the FMDAC President, Mark Schuessler

Target Recovery Certification Program
The Federation of Metal Detector and Archaeological Clubs will be conducting its first target recovery course at Treasure Week at Fox Den Acres Campground, July 14 - 21, 2018. This will be our kickoff for the program that we intend to take nationwide. This is an effort to teach proper recovery techniques and stem the tide of sloppy habits that we are seeing becoming prevalent in many areas including the internet. It will take place on the first weekend at a specific times to be announced on Saturday morning.

This course will be conducted in Four parts. The

Part One: is a sit down "classroom" talk. Proper ethics will be discussed along with a discussion of target recovery tools and accessories.

Part Two: will be demonstrations of different recovery techniques that will be shown as many times as necessary.

Part Three: will be practice time. Participants will practice the techniques with any needed assistance from instructors. When they feel confident of the techniques then the final phase will be the test. They will have to demonstrate each of the techniques to the satisfaction of the instructor with no prompting or assistance. After successful completion each person will be given a certification card.

This is a "hands on" course. The reason is quite simple. There are handouts showing proper techniques which we have been distributing for years. Manufacturers talk about it in their instruction manuals. There are places on the internet that you can watch target recovery videos. You can even get a certificate after watching them. These are all good as it does show proper techniques. However they in no way insure that the person can actually do it properly. It only shows that the person can read or click a mouse! Although this course does not insure that any particular individual will use the techniques and do them properly, it DOES show that they have demonstrated that they can do them properly. We will be placing videos on the internet in the near future but they will not take the place of the course.

This certification card can be used when asking permissions. It can also be incorporated into permit systems or used to help reverse or stop detecting bans from happening. The course will be a work in progress. We will make changes as necessary to streamline and improve it. It will also be a two way discussion. There are many, many people who are great at recovering targets and can add to the discussions and may have some things to add to our course. There are many who may be able to go straight from the demo stage to the test phase with no problem at all.

The course is not meant or intended in any fashion to point fingers and no one should be apprehensive about taking part. It is 100% intended to be educational. We also realize that the techniques may need to be modified for different areas of the country according to the ground conditions. This will take place as necessary.

If you will be at Treasure Week on the first weekend then consider sitting in on the course.             The hobby you help save will be your own!

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November 24, 2017 Press Release
Hello to the FMDAC Membership.

A big thank you to all who attended the Gettysburg function. Everyone appeared to have a good time. The weather was great on Saturday. Sunday was a different story. The forecast predicted a total washout to begin early morning and continue non stop. Somehow the gods looked down on us and had pitty. Marge Cleaves said it was her late husband Doug's intervention. So thank you Doug! The sky was fairly clear and the rain held off throughout the first hunt. The second was moved up 2 hours and it began misting before it ended. When the original hunt time came around there was a soaking rain that lasted the rest of the day. We were all cleaned up and on our way out by then. The Saturday hunt was put on by the Central region director Don Hayes. The token for a Tecknetics T2 (donated by Mike Race) was won by the FMDAC secretary Frank Colletti. After the hunt everyone was off in various directions. Some went to the Civil War Relic show some went to tour the battlefield, and some to the many shops, museums and other attractions scattered throughout the area.

On Saturday evening we gathered in the breakfast area at the host hotel. Pizza and drinks were served. That was followed by a talk by VP Ed Burke whose ancestor was present at Gettysburg. His great grandfather was in the 56th PA infantry who fought in the first days battle. They were forced to flee through the streets of the town being vastly outnumbered by the Confederate forces. Read the Complete Press Release

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April 28, 2017 FMDAC News Release
Hello FMDAC members
It’s been awhile since I have put out a message. Life has been busy.

Good news is that it has been a while since we have seen anything in the legislative department. Maybe it was the election cycle that has kept everyone’s attention off of us. However as I always say. There may be things happening that we do not know about so do not hesitate to contact us if you hear of something.

That silence was broken early on this year as there are two ongoing situations right now in which detecting has been banned. I will not divulge the locations right now as they are being worked on a local level. The first one involves the changing of a decades old ban that has not been enforced. A new parks department administrator took over and decided to enforce it. The local club has met with him and they are working on it. It appears to be on a good path at this point.

In the second a ban was suddenly put into place with zero public knowledge or input. The city attorney wrote it on his own and presented it to the city council who immediately voted unanimous approval. No discussion, no representation from those it effects and no public notice. This ban affects ALL city property including curb strips. It is in the fact finding stage at this point. The local community has been instructed to contact the council to get a lot of questions answered. Read Full Released

Attention everyone......March 15, 2017
Just found out about this bill in the NH legislature. It has already passed the House and is in the Senate. It apparently passed the house by a voice vote. The full text of the bill is below. Really simple as it says dredging is banned. I know this is not metal detecting proper but we are all in this together. Many people are involved in both hobbies. So lets act quickly to try to put the brakes on this one.

Also there are 2 cities that have recently banned detecting. We are working with them on a local level right now.

Here s a link to the NH senate committee where the bill is at right now. Web link

Here is the senate contact page. Web Link

New Hampshire House Bill 591  Sponsors: Web Link

If you live in NH then please contact your senator. If you do not then please contact the committee and any senators and let them know about your vacation plans.

Mark Schuessler, FMDAC National President

August 14, 2016 FMDAC Press Release
SAA Task Force on Professional Archaeologists, Avocational Archaeologists, & Artifact Collectors Web Link
September 07, 2015 FMDAC Presidents Message Read Here
March 05, 2015 FMDAC Presidents Message 1st Qtr Select Here
November 13, 2014 FMDAC Presidents Message Fall 2014 Select Here
May 09, 2014 - Presidents Report on Facebook or View This PDF File
May 09, 2014 - FMDAC's Response to the Massachusetts Metal Detecting Issue Fackbook or View This PDF File
December 27, 2013 - Presidents Report on Facebook
August 24, 2013 - 2013 2nd Qtr President's Report

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     MDAW - Metal Detecting Association of Washington


MDAW Website

MDAW FaceBook

The Metal Detecting Association of Washington was started to promote, protect and preserve recreational metal detecting here, in the State of Washington. Some of the concerns related to detecting in this state are unique to the Pacific Northwest. As a group we strive to work with hobbyists, in clubs or not, who want to enjoy metal detecting, follow the rules set down about the hobby and in some cases help to change those rules. The MDAW works in cooperation with the Office of Historical and Archaeological Preservation of Washington State and Washington State Parks.

The MDAW is an active organization of metal detecting clubs and individuals throughout Washington State working to promote recreational metal detecting for the public.

A project being worked on at this time is trying to get state parks to open more areas within the designated state recreational lands to recreational metal detecting.

Having completed an educational workshop with staff from the archaeological preservation office of Washington State. We have what we feel is a good working relationship and are working to keep it that way.

On the following pages you will find many parks and other areas that may be open to metal detecting.  Always make sure that an area is ok to detect.

Please read these links to the latest WA State Park rules.

Metal Detecting Maps Be sure you check maps and complete a metal detecting brochure.

County and city rules may vary. Please check with the individual parks departments.

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  Texas Association of Metal Detecting Clubs



The purpose of the TAMDC shall be to unite, promote, and encourage metal detecting clubs in Texas, through education and instruction in the recovery and preservation of historical facts, relics, and artifacts. It is the intent and charter of this association to develop and maintain a positive image for metal detectorists and their activities at local, state, and national levels through performance of selected community service projects and through adherence to the TAMDC code of ethics.


T.A.M.D.C. Website

T.A.M.D.C. FaceBook Page

The Historical Hearne-Gidden Home Coming Back to Life
From Houston to Ft. Worth, from Dallas to Austin, and all towns in between, twenty metal detectorists from the Texas Association of Metal Detecting Clubs (T.A.M.D.C.) converged on Kosse, TX on December 16th in partnership with the Kosse Heritage Society for a T.A.M.D.C. “GIVES BACK” Community Service Project. The purpose of the event was to help raise awareness and funds for Kosse Heritage Society’s, Hearne-Gidden Restoration Project, by recovering historical artifacts from the ground around the historical home. Read More

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World Wide Association of Treasure
                     Seekers

(WWATS Website) - Keith Wills

04-25-15 The "State" of Our Hobby
By: Keith Wills
The excitement and adventure of treasure hunting for gold nuggets, old lost coins, lost jewelry, and items from our past is in everyone's blood, for we all seek what we do not have. For me, I started metal detecting as a kid to build my first coin collection, it was much more intriguing to search for lost treasures beneath my feet than simply buy a coin collection, which I could not afford at the time.

For over 43 years now my father and I have enjoyed metal detecting together with great success. I will always have our memories we shared of putting on those headphones and the rest of the world disappearing for us. The sweet competition we shared in seeing at the end of the day which of us had found the nicest piece of jewelry or the most coins. We always look forward to that next treasure hunt adventure. However, as time goes on, many outside forces interrupt our long time-shared fun together, even when we fight to hold on to the right to continue to enjoy it.

Today the average metal detector user finds him or her surrounded by new laws enforced to restrict our freedom to enjoy a recreational pastime. However, it may not be too far in the future we see even our own property and our right to do with that property as we wish, taken from us as well. Everyday new laws are going into effect; new Bills are being pasted by our elected officials that most of us are unaware of. To be honest with you, our government has lost the direction of "for the people" yet now enact more laws "against the people". Special interest groups and our government are pushing Bills to restrict American rights; even in our hobbies we enjoy every day. Read More 

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